Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs

Awardee Information Management System:

Progress Report and Information Systems Analysis

The following progress report on the Awardee Information Management System

(AIMS) provides a summary of the activity to date on the project and the remaining
steps needed to create the proposed database system. This document focuses on the
information systems and technical requirements but only briefly describes the
program area issues. The first phase of the implementation of the project only
involves three program areas: Home, HTF, and LIHTC.
Background
In October 1997, David Greenes, Mary Larris, and Gracie Offield formed a work
group to develop a design for a report that would provide information to management
and the public regarding the funding provided by TDHCA. The work group met daily
for several months to determine a report design that would meet the information needs
for the agency. Home, HTF and LIHTC were the initial program areas studied. The
initial design outline was created based on the program activities of these areas.
In January 1998, Gracie Offield was removed from the project to work on the CSAS
PeopleSoft implementation. The PeopleSoft implementation was to have been
completed by March, but did not actually wrap up until the end of June. In the interim,
David Greenes and Mary Larris were removed from the project due to a conflict with
the statutory requirements of their positions in the agency.
The AIMS project team is now composed of Gracie Offield, Juan Garzna, Alex
Maldonado, and Jana Cormier (HTF). Alex Maldonado is the technical project leader.
Jana Cormier is the program area liason. Gracie Offield and Juan Garzna are
programmers on the project. Additional programmers will work on specific tasks
associated with the project.
Project Description

The Awardee Information Management System was initially proposed because

TDHCA currently does not have a central database that contains information on all
awardees who receive funding, tax credits, or other compensation from the agency.
The agency has established that there is a pressing need for a database that will
provide uniform awardee and contract information for all program areas.
The technical goal for the AIMS project is to develop a database that will provide
reporting data for analysis of contract performance to determine which awardees
perform according to the standards set out in their contracts. Analysis of the data will
help program staff determine how well each awardee fulfilled the objectives outlined
in the initial contract or agreement. The database will be used for output purposes
only.
The AIMS project has the following objectives:
Primary objective. Produce a report that will contain uniform information about
every awardee who receives funds or other compensation from TDHCA. The
report will also contain profiles of each of the awardee's contracts with the
agency. The report will be generated on a regular basis to provide current
information to executive management and program personnel.
Secondary objective. Create a central database that will support the report
described above.
Additional objectives. Identify what information is currently stored on
existing systems and to develop a plan for obtaining the information that is not
currently captured.
Scheduling Considerations
The project can be broken down into four phases.
First Phase (Deadline: January 1, 1999). The current database design includes
22 separate tables. The first phase of the project is to create the six core tables
and create the initial web interface by January 1, 1999. The other tables will be
created for the database but will not be populated with data until after the initial
tables are working smoothly.
Second Phase (Deadline: May 1, 1999). The second phase of the project will be
to populate the remaining tables with data from the three initial program areas
(Home, HTF, LIHTC). The second phase will also include refining any reports
to accommodate the additional data.

 Third Phase (Deadline: September 1, 1999). The third phase of the project will
be to begin incorporating the remaining program areas into the system. The
core tables will be populated with data by September 1, 1999.
Fourth Phase (Deadline: January 1, 2000). The fourth phase of the project
will be to finish incorporating the remaining program areas into the system.
Requirements
In order to create a functioning database, the following issues must be addressed:
Data Definition
System Functionality
Technical Specifications
o hardware
o implementation
o information support
o existing system modification
Data Definition. The data definition is a catalog of the specific information that is
required for the database.
Work completed. An extensive data definition has been completed. The data
definition is based on the final proposed reports. The data definition has been
attached to this progress report as Attachment A. A copy of the final proposed
report has been attached as Attachment B.
Work remaining. As with any large database project, there will be data
inclusions and deletions in the future, but the impact of these changes will be
negligible. The finalization of the data definition will require 10 hours of
information systems time, mostly in the form of additional communication
between team members and documentation of the new fields, if any.
System Functionality. The functional requirements of the database include what the
database will do and how it will be used.

 Work completed. The general functional specifications for the project have been
identified. The database will be created as a data warehouse. The data will be
drawn from existing database systems in the agency through the use of
interfaces. There will be no live data entry into the system. The data will be
imported into the new data warehouse on a monthly basis. The frequency of
data transfer will be increased after the initial system test.
Work remaining. The functions of the project have been expanded. Executive
management would like for the database to be accessible on the web. A web
interface will be developed to allow users to access the data according to their
specific needs.
The additional web functions must be documented. Currently, the database will only
support report writing. If there are additional input or query functions required, those
modifications must be analyzed. The remaining functional considerations will require
input from the program areas and executive management. Completion of the
functional design will require at least 40 hours.
Technical Specifications
The technical specifications for the creation of the database can be divided into four
subparts:
Hardware
Implementation
Information support
Existing system modification
Hardware. The data warehouse will require the purchase of an additional server. Juan
Garzna is researching the cost and availability of suitable servers.
Implementation. The technical requirements for the implementation of the AIMS
project are:
design of the database
creation of interfaces that export data from existing systems

 creation of interfaces that insert data into the database

batching and scripting of the interfaces to run automatically
design of reports to display the data
design of web interfaces to access the reports and data in the database.
Database Design. The design of the database is the most important element of the
project.
Work completed. The design for the database has been completed. The basic
key structure has been determined for all the tables, the relational links have
been worked out on paper, and a prototype of the major tables has been worked
up in Access. The framework is solid. A copy of the database definition has
been attached as Attachment C.
Work remaining. As with any large database project, there will be modifications
made to the design during the testing phase. There are a few outstanding data
issues that must be resolved. These issues need input from the program areas
and executive management. Completion of the data definition will require 10
hours of information systems time, mostly in the form of additional
communication between team members and documentation of the new fields.
Export Interfaces. An export interface is a program that runs on an existing database
to extract data to be loaded in to the AIMS database.
Work completed. The interface design documents have been completed and
reviewed by the programmers working on the project.
Work remaining. There are 22 tables in the AIMS database. Each table will
require a separate interface. The interfaces for the 6 core tables will probably
require 50 hours to create and refine. The remaining 16 tables should only take
20 hours each.
For each program area included in the AIMS project, the minimum time required for
interfaces exporting data is:
6 tables *

50 hrs

300 hours

16 tables *

20 hrs

320 hours

Total

620 hours

The current estimate of the minimum time required to create export interfaces for the
initial three program areas is 1860 hours.
Import Interfaces. An import interface is a program that loads data into the AIMS
database tables. The import interfaces will take less time to write. Only one interface
is needed for each table.
Work completed. The database was originally going to be created in DB2 but
now it will be created in Oracle. Table definitions and load scripts have been
written for DB2.
Work remaining. There should not be too many changes to the scripts on
Oracle. The minimum time required for finalization of the import interfaces is:
22 tables

10 hrs

220 hours

Interface Batches. The interfaces that export data from the existing systems and the
interfaces that load the data into the new systems will have to run automatically at
night. The group of processes that run the interfaces are referred to as interface
batches.
Work completed. Very little work has been done on this segment of the project.
Copies of the interface batches from the CSAS implementation have been
printed out and reviewed.
Work remaining. The batch scripts need to be written. The batching of the
interfaces will take a significant amount of time. For each system in each
program area, a batch job must be created that will coordinate the execution of
each interface. There will also be a batch job to import data from each area. The
coordination of the batch jobs will be facilitated by use of semaphore files. The
estimated time required to write the batch scripts and fine tune them is 100 hrs.
Reports. Concerning the reporting functions related to the database design:
Work completed. A draft design of the primary report has been created.
Work remaining. The report design must be translated into actual reports. The
estimated time required to create the report is 100 hrs. I have attached a copy of
the report design.

Web Access. Executive management would like for the database to be accessible on
the web. A web interface will be developed to allow users to access the data according
to their specific needs.
Work completed. The initial design did not consider web access. No work has
been completed.
Work remaining. The web interface will be designed and implemented. The
completed reports can be published as html documents and placed on the web.
When the MHT division web pages were developed, it took one programmer 3
months to get all of the functionality completed. The web development for this
project will most likely have a similar level of complexity. Therefore, the time
estimate for this portion of the project is 400 hours.
Information Support
There is data included in the data definition that is not currently tracked by the agency
programs. This information will need to be obtained by the program areas. David
Greenes asked each program area to determine the amount of time that it will take for
staff to gather and input the information required for the AIMS project. The initial
response indicated that there was a significant time component involved.
Work completed. A plan was devised to try to minimize the amount of time
spent by TDHCA staff gathering the additional data. Essentially, the strategy
adopted was to import the existing information into the AIMS system and then
generate a questionnaire to send to the awardees for them to fill out and return
to TDHCA. A copy of the proposed format of the questionnaire is attached to
this document.
Work remaining. The questionnaire will need to be translated into a report. The
amount of time that will be required for the translation of this questionnaire
into a document that is generated from the database is 40 hours.
Modification of Existing Systems
In order for the proposed system to function efficiently, all information required for
the report must be captured on an existing information system. The technical
requirements for the modification of current systems is different for each program
area as described below:
Home. The Home system on Genesis currently has the capacity to capture about half
the information required by the AIMS system.

 Work completed. The missing information has been identified. The Home
system does not have the capacity to capture the level of detail required for the
report sections dealing with loan administration; leveraged sources;
professional fees and costs; consultants, developers, and other contract payees;
and organization principals and officers. It can capture substantially all of the
information regarding awardees; contract specifications and dates; and budget
and expenditure amounts. The Home system can capture some of the
information regarding demographics of the families served by the contract.
Work remaining. Patti Truette is the developer of the Home system. The
estimated time required for him to modify the Home database to accept the
additional information is 85 hours.
Housing Trust Fund. HTF currently captures some information on Genesis and some
in Excel spreadsheets. The system used by HTF is inadequate. Also, there is no
efficient way to automate the export of data from Excel. The system for Housing Trust
Fund needs to be completely moved to Genesis or to another database system that can
be accessed by an interface program to extract its data.
Work completed. The Housing Trust Fund staff has worked hard on the AIMS
project and, in so doing, has defined more or less what they want their new
system to do. Juan Garzna has met with them to discuss creating their system
on Oracle to run off of the intranet.
Work remaining. Modification of the Housing Trust Fund system will take 300
hours.
Low Income Housing Tax Credits. LIHTC uses a third-party software product from
AOD. The AOD system used by LIHTC has the capacity to capture about 85% of the
information requested for the AIMS project. Most of what isn't captured by LIHTC is
not relevant to Tax Credits. Modification of the AOD system cannot be done at
TDHCA. All modifications have to go through AOD or a contracted COBOL
programmer who knows AOD software.
Program Area Requirements
The program areas will be responsible for entering data into their current systems.
LIHTC has prepared a detailed estimate of the amount of time it will take to enter
historical data. The HTF will enter its historical data within six months. Home has not
prepared a detailed analysis.
Current Schedule

Task

Hours

Deadline

Functional Requirements
Determine web
functionality

40

August 15, 1998

Hardware Requirements
Research cost of server

15

July 30, 1998

Purchase server

August 6, 1998

Implementation
Data Definition

10

September 15, 1998

Functional Design

40

September 15, 1998

Export Interface HOME

620

Initial export interfaces for six

core tables by October 15, 1998

Export Interface - HTF

620

Initial export interfaces for six

core tables by October 15, 1998

Export Interface LIHTC

620

Initial export interfaces for six

core tables by October 15, 1998

Import Interface

220

October 15, 1998

Batching

100

Initial batches by December 1,

1998

Reporting

100

Initial reporting based on six core

tables by December 15, 1998

Web Access

400

Web development for standard

views of six core tables by
November 1, 1998

Queries and initial

reports by December
15, 1998

100

Not determined

Modification of Existing Systems

HOME

85

All changes to support initial

download of data by September

15, 1998
HTF
LIHTC

300
?

All changes to support initial

download of data by September
15, 1998
Not determined

Overall Conclusions
The AIMS project is coming along well, despite the loss of several months of activity.
The design is sound and there is a realistic timeline in place.
There are no foreseeable major problems that will prevent timely implementation of
this project. There are no other competing projects that might cause delay of this
project. This project has the full support and commitment of the ISSW division.
Note: Attachments A, B, and C have been omitted from this example.

This information is provided and maintained by David A. McMurrey. For

information on use, customization, or copies, e-mail hcexres@io.com.